Walking-beam for drilling-rigs.



T. J. GRIFFIN. I WALKING BEAM FOR DRILLING RIGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1912.

L1 %9 $%& Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

4 a I {5 z 14 355 M 8 7 i 2 4 E z l i I THOMAS J. GRIFFIN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 EDWARD DOUBLE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Application flied May 8, 1912. Serial No. 696,030.

Rigs, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a walking beam with yielding suspension means for the line or string of tools so as to ease off the jar or sudden lifting of the tools and prevent injury or parting of the line, and whipping of the tools, giving them a more steady and effective drilling stroke.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for this purpose which can be used in connection with the usual form of walking beam, particularly the trussed steel walking beam in general use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a yielding suspension means for the stated purpose which will be able to sustain the great weight of a. string of tools without the use of heavy and cumbersome levers, and without adding materially to the weight or cost of the walking beam.

Other obj ects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention, and referring thereto:

Figure 1 is a planof the walking beam. Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the walking beam. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the system of compound levers used in the suspension device.

Fig. 5 is a section on line m -m in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plan of the upper lever of the suspension means. Fig. 7 is a vertical section showing a modified form of the connecting means for the levers.

The walking beam, which is preferably of the trussed steel type, comprising, for example, a top plate 1, bottom plate 2 and I truss bars 3 connecting said top and bottom plates to form a rigid, hollow structure. Said walking beam rests by the usual fulcrum 4 on the samson post 5. The said walking beam is providedat one end with the usual means, indicated at 8, for connection of the pitman and at the other end with elastic or yielding suspension means for the line for suspension of the string of tools.

Said suspension means comprises a system of levers, viz.an upper lever 10 and a lower lever 11 fulcrumed on the walking beam and a connecting member or link 12 engaging said levers, lever 10 being connectedfto the temper screw 13 and supporting the operating line for the string of tools and a spring '14 being provided operating on the lever 11 to elastically sustain the line and string of tools by operation through the system of levers and the connecting links.

The upper lever 10 is fulcrumed at 15 on a hearing or bracket member 16, secured to the inside of the top platel and extending downwardly therefrom. The lower lever 11 is fulcrumed or pivoted on a shaft or bearing member 17 extending across the walking beam and secured to plates 18 at each side thereof. The link 12 preferably consists of an H-formed thrust member or strut with cylindrical cross arms 20 at its upper and lower ends engaging in correspondingly formed seats 22 and 23 in the upper and lower levers 10 and 11, plates 24 being so;

cured by screws 25 to the said levers at the ends of said seats or recesses to retain the bearing portions or arms 20 of the thrust member in position thereon. The upper lever 10 is forked as shown at 27 and formed near its outer end with recesses or seats 26 for the T-bar 29 of the temper screw 13.

A bolt 30 extends through the inner end portion of the lower lever 11 and extends upwardly through the top plate 1 of the walking beam and is provided at one end with means for adjustment such as a nut 32. The said bolt has a rocking bearing on the top plate of the walking beam, for example,

by means of rounded collars 33 on said bolt which embrace the top plate between their convex faces, the opening 31 in the said top plate being of sufficient size to permit of the requisite play or rocking movement of the bolt. The opening 34 in the lower lever 11 through which the bolt 30 passes is cut away or chamfered as shown at 35 so as to permit of rocking movement of the bolt relatively to the lever 11. The spring 14 surrounds the bolt 30 and engages at its lower end with the lever 11 and at its upper end with the lower collar 33. o

.The operation is as follows: At each 11fting stroke of the walking beam, the lever 10 downwardly on its fulcrum and through the thrust member or connecting means 12, to move the lever 11 in such manner as to compress the spring 14. Said spring by reason of the connections above described, exerts a compound leverage on the devices suspended by the lever 10 and is thereby enabled to ease oil or take up elastically the shock due to sudden lifting of this great weight and thereby prevent the liability of parting of the line or tearing of the line from the rope socket.

The construction above described in which the" connecting means between the two levers is formed as a thrust member having end bearings only, is advantageous in that it is not liable to injury by shearing strains. The construction shown in Fig. 7 may, however, be used in some cases, this construction being similar to that above described, except ,that instead of the thrust member 12, side links 40 are provided, connected by bolts or pins 41 and 42 to the upper and lower levers 10 and 11.

By tightening the nut 32 on the bolt 30, the tension of the spring 14 may be adjusted to enable-it to sustain the weight of the line, etc., and so as to limit or adjust the amount of movement of the spring when the line is being raised.

What I claim is:

1. In a drilling rig, the combination with a walking beam, of a resilient temper screw support, comprising two levers pivotally mounted on said beam, one of said levers being provided with means for support of the a temper screw, a thrust member having pivotal thrust bearings on the respective levers, a bolt connected to the other of said levers and extending through said walking beam. a spring between said walking beam and said other lever to elastically support the temper screw, and a nut on said bolt engaging said walking beam to adjust the pressure of said spring.

2. In a drilling rig, the combination with a walking beam, of a lever pivoted on said walking beam and a temper screw supported on said lever, a second lever pivoted on said walking beam below said first named lever, a thrust memberhaving pivotal thrust bearings on said levers, and a spring having a bearing on the said second lever, and having a bearing on the walking beam to elastically support the temper screw. 4

3. In combination with a hollow walking beam formed with a top plate and side members, of a. lever pivotally mounted on said top plate and extending within the walking beam, beneath the top plate, a temper screw mounted on the outer end portion of said lever, a second lever pivotally mounted on the side members of the walking beam, below said first lever, a thrust member having pivotal thrust hearings on the said levers, and a spring engaging the second lever and having a bearing on the top plate of the walking beam.

4. In a drilling rig, in combination with a walking beam and the tension and compression members thereof, a resilient temper screw support comprising two levers, one of said levers pivoted on the tension member of said beam, the other lever pivoted on the compression member of said beam, one of said levers being provided with means for supporting the temper screw, said levers being connected together so that the strain of the temper screw is applied to the other lever, and a spring engaging said other lever to resist the strain of said temper screw.

5. In a drilling rig, in combination with a walking beam and the tension and compression members thereof, a resilient temper screw support comprising two levers, one of said levers pivoted on the tension member of said beam, the other lever pivoted on the compression member of said beam, means on the tension member lever for supporting said temper screw, said levers being connected together so that the strain of the temper screw is transferred from said tension member lever to said compression member lever, and a spring engaging said compression member lever' to resist the strain of said temper screw.

6. In a drilling rig, in combination with a walking beam, a resilient temper screw support comprising two levers pivotally mounted on said beam, one of said levers being provided with means for supporting the temper screw, a thrust toggle element interposed between said levers to transfer the strain of said temper screw from the temper screw supporting lever to said other lever, and a spring engaging said other lever to resist the strain of the temper screw.

7. In a drilling rig, in combination with a walking beam, a resilient temper screw support comprising two levers pivotally mounted on said beam, one of said levers being provided with means for supporting the temper screw, a thrust toggle element interposed between said levers to transfer the beam to which the temper screw supportin leveris pivoted to resist the strain of said temper screw.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set 15 my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 26th day of April, 1912.

'II-IOS J. GRIFFIN.

Inpresence of- ARTHUR P. KNIGHT, F. A. CRANDALL. 

